Sanitary throughflow element with a throughflow regulator unit and method for producing same

Abstract

Sanitary throughflow element ( 1, 2, 30 ) which includes a throughflow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) having a carrier part ( 6 ) extending over the open cross section of a fluid line portion, the carrier part ( 6 ) having at least two inter-spaced insert openings ( 7 ) in which, respectively, a throughflow rate regulator ( 8 ) is arranged. Each throughflow rate regulator ( 8 ) has an elastic throttle body ( 9 ) which is round on the outer circumferential side in cross section and which delimits a control gap ( 10 ) between itself and a circumferential wall defining the insert opening ( 7 ). The throttle bodies ( 9 ) of the throughflow rate regulator ( 8 ) are compressed in the throughflow direction due to pressure of the through-flowing fluid such that this compression causes a circumferential widening of the throttle bodies ( 9 ) that constricts the control gap ( 10 ) determining a throughflow capacity of the throughflow rate regulator ( 8 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A sanitary flow element ( 1 ,  2 ,  30 ) comprising a flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) having a carrier part ( 6 ) extending over a clear cross section of a fluid line section, said carrier part ( 6 ) has at least two spaced-apart insertion openings ( 7 ) in which in each case one flow rate regulator ( 8 ) is arranged, each of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) has an elastic-material restrictor ( 9 ) which is round on an outer circumferential side in cross section, said restrictor ( 9 ) delimiting a control gap ( 10 ) between itself and a circumferential wall bounding the insertion opening ( 7 ), the restrictors ( 9 ) of the flow rate regulator ( 8 ) are formed in a conical, frustoconical or spherical manner and are subjected to compression in a flow direction under pressure of fluid flowing through, such that the compression causes a circumferential widening of the restrictors ( 9 ), said widening narrowing the control gap ( 10 ) that determines a flow capacity of the flow rate regulator ( 8 ) wherein at least one of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) provided on the carrier part ( 6 ) is configured as a regulator insert comprising the restrictor ( 9 ) and at least one of the circumferential walls comprising inwardly and outwardly curved sections, said regulator insert being inserted in one of the insertion openings ( 7 ). 
     
     
       2. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) provided in the carrier part ( 6 ) have different flow regulating properties from one another. 
     
     
       3. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the restrictors ( 9 ) of at least two of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) provided in the carrier part ( 6 ) have different flow regulating properties from one another. 
     
     
       4. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential walls, delimiting the control gap ( 10 ), of at least two of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) provided in the carrier part ( 6 ) have different regulating profiles from one another with differing regulating properties. 
     
     
       5. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a maximum flow capacity of the flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) is fixable in a variation spectrum by selecting at least one of different ones of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ), different ones of the restrictors ( 9 ), or different ones of the regulating profiles, for at least two of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) provided on the carrier part ( 6 ). 
     
     
       6. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a maximum flow capacity of the flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) is fixable by a number of insertion openings ( 7 ), equipped with a flow rate regulator ( 8 ), in the carrier part ( 6 ). 
     
     
       7. A sanitary flow element ( 1 ,  2 ,  30 ) comprising a flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) having a carrier part ( 6 ) extending over a clear cross section of a fluid line section, said carrier part ( 6 ) has at least two spaced-apart insertion openings ( 7 ) in which in each case one flow rate regulator ( 8 ) is arranged, each of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) has an elastic-material restrictor ( 9 ) which is round on an outer circumferential side in cross section, said restrictor ( 9 ) delimiting a control gap ( 10 ) between itself and a circumferential wall bounding the insertion opening ( 7 ), the restrictors ( 9 ) of the flow rate regulator ( 8 ) are formed in a conical, frustoconical or spherical manner and are subjected to compression in a flow direction under pressure of fluid flowing through, such that the compression causes a circumferential widening of the restrictors ( 9 ), said widening narrowing the control gap ( 10 ) that determines a flow capacity of the flow rate regulator ( 8 ), wherein at least three of the insertion openings ( 7 ) are provided in the carrier part ( 6 ), of which a flow rate regulator ( 8 ) is arranged in at least two insertion openings ( 7 ), and of which at least one insertion opening ( 7 ) is closed by a plug ( 13 ). 
     
     
       8. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the restrictor ( 9 ) or the regulator insert is inserted releasably or exchangeably into an insertion opening ( 7 ). 
     
     
       9. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a jet regulator or at least one jet splitter ( 4 ) that divides a stream of water into a multiplicity of individual jets is connected downstream of the flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) in a direction of flow. 
     
     
       10. The flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the carrier part ( 6 ) is also in the form of a jet splitter ( 4 ) of a jet regulator, said jet splitter ( 4 ) dividing inflowing water into a plurality of individual jets. 
     
     
       11. The flow element as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein at least one stream straightening or stream-shaping grid or mesh structure is connected downstream of the jet splitter ( 4 ) of the jet regulator in the direction of flow. 
     
     
       12. The flow element as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) and the jet regulator or jet splitter ( 4 ) are spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
       13. The flow element as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the flow rate regulator unit ( 5 ) and the jet regulator or jet splitter ( 4 ) are provided in a common insert housing or cartridge housing. 
     
     
       14. A method for producing a flow element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the number of insertion openings ( 7 ), equipped with a flow rate regulator ( 8 ) or a restrictor ( 9 ), that is required for a fixed maximum flow rate per time unit is determined by measuring a flow capacity and, depending thereon, by inserting the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) or the restrictors ( 9 ) into further insertion openings ( 7 ) or by removing further ones of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ) or the restrictors ( 9 ) from insertion openings ( 7 ) and by closing the insertion openings ( 7 ), not required for any of the flow rate regulators ( 8 ), in the carrier part ( 6 ).